Poll

Farm and Family

This warm winter has been nice because of 50 degree weather and not having to feed as much hay.
However, this warm winter has played havoc for many farmers, such as increased mud and lately I have heard from Dr. Ray Smith from the University of Kentucky that this mild winter is likely to cause higher than average concentration of ergovaline in tall fescue.
Tall fescue is still widely planted throughout Kentucky because of its yield potential and ruggedness, but tall fescue is naturally infected with an endophytic fungus that produces ergovaline.

Millions of workers could overlook important federal tax benefits because they simply don’t know about them.
The Earned Income Tax Credit and the Child Tax Credit can make a real difference for workers who are struggling to make ends meet.
The Earned Income Tax Credit is a refundable tax credit available to qualifying lower-wage workers and their families.
Workers earning less than about $50,000 from wages, self-employment or farming in 2016 could qualify.

Henry County 4-H will hold its annual Communications Program on March 28, 6 p.m., at the Extension Office.
Many past 4-H members state that public speaking is a skill learned in 4-H that had the greatest impact on their career success.
The communications program allows youth the opportunity to explore and develop abilities in public speaking, personal expression and interaction with others. Youth have the chance to participate in speeches, demonstrations and the variety show. Youth can participate in more than one event.

In today’s society, with increased internet access and social media presence, it is easy to become lost trying to research a specific topic or solution to a problem.
If I check my social media accounts or emails, there is always that post or flyer wanting you to try this new and improved product or do this a specific way. From the post or email, you might think, “I have to try this!”
I’m not only talking about posts about kitchen appliances or recipes, but I’m am referring to agricultural posts on social media and online.

Heart disease is the No. 1 cause of illness and death for women and kills more than all forms of cancer combined. February is Women’s Heart Health Month, and it is a great time for women to start taking better care of their hearts all year round.
It’s important to know your personal risk for heart disease and family history.
Common risk factors for heart disease include elevated blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, smoking, diabetes, a sedentary lifestyle and being overweight or obese.

One thing about farming is that you always have to look towards the future, and one thing to look forward to is spring pastures.
In early spring, cool season grasses start growing at a rapid rate. When this happens, magnesium may not be as available to your livestock, and when magnesium is low, your livestock can encounter grass tetany.
Grass tetany is a metabolic disorder caused by reduced magnesium (Mg) levels in the animal’s blood.

Are you trying to rescue a failed New Year’s resolution?
The most common New Year’s resolutions revolve around something to do with either our health or our wealth. We are launching an online Challenge called “Henry County, Ky., Small Steps to Health and Wealth” that may help you to get back on track.
This challenge is a part of a national four-week program designed to help you improve both your health and personal finance behaviors.
It will run for the month of February and is done on-line.

The Henry County Extension Office is offering a new contest this year — the 2017 Henry County Youth Best Beef Contest.
This contest’s purpose is to educate youth about finishing beef animals and determining potential marketing opportunities for their beef while competing for the best beef animal and best speech.
Participants in this contest will raise a beef animal to market weight, have that animal processed, attend a three-week educational series, and give two speeches on how the animal was raised and how that processed animal will be marketed.

Goats turned out to be the brush control for David Neville that helped him to certify Capstone Farms as organic, according to a news release from the Energy and Environment Cabinet, Division of Compliance Assistance.

Winter is upon us and we need to remember that fire and carbon monoxide poisoning are real concerns that come with staying warm.
According to the National Fire Protection Association, between 2009 and 2013, U.S. fire departments responded each year to an average of 56,000 home structure fires that involved heating equipment.
Space heaters are the most common type of heating equipment involved in home fires, accounting for 40 percent of all fires, and more importantly, 84 percent of non-firefighter deaths.